The World Health Organization (WHO) has designated 2020 as the Year of the Nurse and Midwife in honour of the 200th anniversary of the founder of modern nursing Florence Nightingale’s birth. The theme of this year’s National Nursing Week (May 11 – 17) is Nurses: A Voice to Lead — Nursing the World to Health. During this very challenging time of battling the COVID-19 pandemic, nurses are once again demonstrating heroism in nursing the world to health. I am writing with utmost respect and highest regard for your courage, expertise, and commitment to nursing and care to our community in this unprecedented time.

At CARE Centre for Internationally Educated Nurses, we endeavour to support you on your journey of integration into the Canadian Health Care system and excel in your career. We take pride in your success, as your success is our success!

To allow you access to reliable information related to COVID-19, we have created a special section on our website to provide you with official websites and resources that you may find helpful. You will also find profiles of many of your peers who are currently at the frontline of combating COVID-19. With generous support from many outstanding nursing leaders, we are pleased to bring you a series of free online professional development webinars, and clinical skills related workshops with nominal cost. Our members only job board also features multiple career opportunities in all sectors of healthcare services in Ontario. I invite you to visit our new and refreshed website to find out more.

CARE Centre’s Pre-Arrival Supports and Services (PASS) Program, funded by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, serves internationally educated nurses (IENs) who are planning to immigrate to Canada. To help IENs achieve their goals of registration and meaningful employment in Canada, PASS not only provides guidance and encouragement but ensures that IENs are well-informed about the credentialing assessment process, the Canadian healthcare system, as well as the wide variety of available educational and employment opportunities. Since program inception in 2016, over 700 nurses have accessed services and supports through PASS, with destinations across Canada.